


A different path

by shadowNova



Category: X-23 (Comic), X-Men
Genre: AU, Younger character than in cannon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 08:36:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2541284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowNova/pseuds/shadowNova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Logan wasn’t mad at her for what she had tried to do- she was just a kid. A scared, hurting kid, who wanted to die. Had she even expected to be able to kill him, he wondered, or had she hoped to die at his hands? He suspected it was a bit of both.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A different path

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I -should- be working on my petstuck fic. But I've been reading the X-23 comics recently, and couldn't resist writing this. It's short, I know, and I messed with the time line a little- Laura is eleven, not thirteen, at the end of innocence loss, and the events between then and the end of Target X occur in a few months, not two years. This is my take on what would have happened if Shield -hadn't- interrupted their talk. Please note that I haven't yet read any of the other X-men comics, and am relying on Wikipedia for information, so if Wolverine is out of character, I apologize.

Logan looked at the child sitting across the fire from him, her long dark hair framing her face. She was practically swimming in his jacket, her knees pulled up to her chest. She had stopped crying a while ago, instead sitting quietly, shaking. Logan pretended not to notice, for the sake of Laura’s pride, instead talking to fill the silence. “Sarah sent me the copy of your letter just in case she didn’t make it out. By the time I got it, you were gone.” The child hunched her shoulders, hanging her head a little. Logan looked at her, continuing, “No one should have to go through what you did, especially not a child. But now you’ve got a choice to make. Sarah’s letter is in the pocket of that jacket.” He watched as she silently reached into the pocket, very carefully pulling out the letter. He wasn’t mad at her for what she had tried to do- she was just a kid. A scared, hurting kid, who wanted to die. Had she even expected to be able to kill him, he wondered, or had she hoped to die at his hands? He suspected it was a bit of both. He watched her stare at the letter, tears welling up in her eyes, and spoke again, “You know what the facility wanted for you. Now find out what your mother wanted. Don’t get me wrong... It won’t be easy. It’ll take time to figure things out. But there’s a guy at the institute that helped me put the put the pieces together...” He thought about that sentence for a moment, then snorted. “Hell, he’s still helping me. But I know he could help you, too.”

Laura flicked her eyes to him, finally speaking. “They’ll come for me, even at your institute.” There were bags under her eyes, he noticed now, idly wondering how long it had been since the child last slept. “Darlin’, they try to take you from there, then they’re asking for a world of hurt,” Logan reassured her, meeting her eyes. “I...” She trailed off, lowering her head, and Logan moved closer- not quite in arms reach, but not all the way across the fire, either. He didn’t push her to speak, letting her work through her thoughts at her own pace. “I... I don’t want to be alone anymore... But I don’t want anyone else dying because of me...” she finally whispered, her voice trembling. She hugged herself tightly, shutting her eyes, and now Logan moved within arms reach, touching her shoulder gently. “Laura, the people at the institute- we’re not civilians, like the others. We can defend ourselves. You don’t have to distance yourself from us to keep us safe.” She shook, tears spilling over, and Logan carefully pulled her to his side. The eleven year old tensed, then turned and buried her face against his shoulder. “Pl-please don’t leave me a-alone again... Please...” Laura whispered, and Logan rubbed her back gently, in small circles. “I won’t, darlin’. I won’t.”

Logan wasn’t certain how long they stayed like that, but eventually, she calmed down a bit, enough to let go of Logan. “Do you want to head back to the institute now?” Logan inquired, and she gave a tiny nod in reply. He stood, setting about removing the camp- putting out the fire, and cleaning up what little was left. When he finished, he turned, holding a hand out to Laura. The child hesitated, then took it, letting him pull her to her feet. They were quiet as they walked back to his bike, neither saying a word until after she had climbed on behind him. “Ready, darlin’?” Logan asked. She wrapped her arms around his waist to hold on, making a noise of affirmation. He nodded, and they started off back to the institute, riding along in companionable silence.

**Author's Note:**

> There way be more when I get my hands on more X-men comics (and figure out how enrollment in the Xavier Institute -works-.) For now, it is at least -temporarily- a one shot. If anyone wants to help me write more, though, just let me know!


End file.
